The Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) plans to deliver five damage mitigation projects for agriculture worth a total of US$675,800 (COP1.225 billion) within the next five weeks, website Elmeridianodesucre.com.co reported.

The funds are expected to come from the National Calamity fund.

ICA general manager Teresita Beltrán told the website the first project would be a fruit fly surveillance program in a bid to reduce incidences of the pest, while the second project would assist banana growers in areas affected by the rainy season.

Beltrán said the banana growers assistance project would focus on controlling and eradicating diseases like Black Sigatoka and banana mucus.

She also raised concerns about the affects of fungal diseases in yam cultivation, with plans to intervene and control fungi to improve product quality, the story reported.

Of the funds around 28.7% will go towards livestock-based projects, involving disease diagnosis and prevention, particularly for Venezuelan equine encephalitis.

Related story: Colombia rains cut banana exports 25%

Photo: www.dpi.qld.gov.au

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